September 1, 2012
To: Teacher
CC: School Health Nurse
Principal
Re: Student Name
[Student
Name] is happy to be in your class this year at [School Name]. Before
the school year begins, I wanted to alert you to the fact that [Student
Name] has Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that
is triggered by ingesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley,
rye, malt, and sometimes oats.
[Student Name] is actually very healthy, but he/she must manage Celiac Disease with a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. It
is very important to his health that he remains gluten free. He/she has an
individual Health Plan on file in the School Health Clinic. I have
enclosed a copy of the last updated form for your review.
Since
we are not yet familiar with the procedures for activities and food in
your class, I am providing this information to you in order for [Student
Name] to avoid any possible contact with gluten while in your class.
We
will provide [Student Name] with a gluten-free lunch and snack
everyday. He/she is well aware of his/her condition, and understands that he/she
cannot trade snacks or eat any other food without first confirming with
an adult that it is gluten-free. [Student Name] is very comfortable
with his/her food restrictions, but still may need reminders or help reading
labels. Any product with WHEAT, BARLEY, RYE,
MALT or OATS on its ingredient list is off limits. He/she must also avoid
any products that indicate a possible cross contamination with the same
as above, such as “made in a facility that also processes WHEAT.”
In addition to food, [Student Name] should also avoid contact with craft products that contain gluten.
Of most concern to me are play dough, pasta, hay/straw, fingerpaints
and paper mache, since they are products that almost always contain
wheat and/or are likely to get under his fingernails. Other products
that may contain wheat are glue, paint, and ink. To be clear, [Student
Name] does not get a reaction just from touching gluten, however if it
gets on his/her hands and fingers it could be transferred to the mouth. I
would be happy to review the ingredients of any craft products in the
classroom to determine if they do contain gluten. If they do, I will be
happy to provide [Student Name] with a suitable substitution.
If [Student Name] does accidentally come into contact with gluten at school,
I ask that you immediately have him/her wash their hands thoroughly. He/she does
not have an allergic response, such as anaphylaxis, so no medicine nor
medical attention is required. I simply request that you make me aware
of the contact with the gluten (via a phone call or email) so that I can
monitor his/her health and possible reactions.
If you allow students to bring in birthday treats to
share, I ask that we be made aware of it a day or two in advance.
Cupcakes and cookies, unless made with special alternative flours, are
not gluten-free. If notified in advance of what will be brought in,
[Student Name] can bring a gluten-free alternative in order to celebrate
with the other students. If it works better for you, I can provide you
with a small box or bag of safe, gluten-free treats to store in the
classroom for [Student Name].
I
want to make it as easy as possible for you and [Student Name] this
year. If you are not comfortable determining what is and is not
gluten-free, then please call or email me about
any food products being offered to him during class activities. This
would include food craft projects, birthday celebrations, holiday
celebrations, field trips, class rewards, etc. If, for some
reason you are unable to reach me, then I ask that you do not allow
[Student Name] to eat any food that did not come from our home.
For
your information, I have enclosed documents that provide more detailed
information about Celiac Disease. I would be happy to meet with you
and/or the school nurse to review the situation and discuss any
questions or concerns you may have about it. I know as a teacher you
have a lot of students and responsibilities, and I appreciate your time
and attention to the matter.
Thank you,
[Your Name and Contact Information]
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